Cotton-compress.



W. HILL.

COTTON COMPRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I. |915.

11, 11 4,5 1 9.. I Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IBI@

W. HILL.

COTTON COMPRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l, 19H).

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2A narran sfraams Parana ernten.

WILLIAM HILL, 0F LEXN'DRM, LOUISIANA.

oo'rroN-conrnnss.

. "'siecmcation of Letters Patent. Patented Dee., 141, 1915.

application mea nay 1, 1915. serial No. 25,190.

.1 7o all whom t may concern:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM HILL, a citizen of the United States, land a resident of Alexandria, in the'parish of Rapides and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Cotton-Compress, of whlch the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a machine of the character mentioned, with means for employing relatively quickacting and slow-acting power, and with means for taking up the lost motion of the said slow-acting power; to provide means for shortening the time required for the complete operation of the compress; and to simplify the mechanical construction of the compress. i

Drawz'ngs.-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a compress constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the samegFig. 3 is a detailed view on enlarged scale, of the guiding and pivot construction of the quick-acting platens of the compress, the section being taken as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken as on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, the scale employed in this figure being enlarged.

Description-As seen in the drawings, the compress employs a steam cylinder 9, and a hydraulic cylinder 26. The platens 11 and 12 are operatively connected with said cylinders, `to be moved thereby. The platen 11, which, as shown in the drawings, is preferably suspended above the platen 12, is operatively connected to a piston 13, by a piston rod 14. The rod 14 is packed by means ofa gland 15, where the rod passes from the cylinder 9, as best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Steam or other expansive fluid is delivered 'by a pipe 16 to the cylinder 9 and to a three-way valve 17 connected therewith. The valve 17 is manually operable to deliver the Huid from the pipe 16 to either the upper branch 18 or the lower branch 19, 'at the will of the attendant. During the delivery referred to, to either of the pipes 18 or 19, the connection between the pipe 16 is suspended, with the other of the said branch pipes. Furthermore, the valve 17 is so constructed that at the moment of full delivery of the fluid from the pipe 16 to either of the branches 18 or 19, a communication between the remaining branch and an exhaust pipe 20 is opened. In this manner it is provided that steam or other expansive iiuid may be introduced to the upper or lower side of the piston 13 in the cyllnder 9, at the will of the operator, to induce pressure in the said cylinder, for the movement of the said piston, while simultaneously releasing or avoidingpressure in the said cvlinder, on the opposite side of the said cylinder. ln this manner, it is obvious, the speed of movement of the piston 13 and platen 11 is regulated only by the resistance offered by the material in the compress, to the movement of the said platen l1.

The cylinder 9 is mounted on a skeleton structure having cross heads 21 and standards 22. rlhe standards 22 are supported on the sills 23. The sills 23 support the platform on which is directly mounted the stationary plunger. The plunger 25 tits a cylinder 26 movable on said plunger and fitting in same with a water sealed joint. The cylinder 26 is open at the bottom end but closed at the upper end by a wall 27, as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Directly secured to the wall 27 is the platen 12.

Platens 11 and 12 are provided with guide brackets 28 which as shown best'in Fig. 3 of the drawings, operatively engage the standards 22. The platens 11 and 12 are operatively connected at each end of the compress by means of links 29 and short levers 30. The levers 30 are mounted by pins 31 in the standards 22. Une end of each of the levers 30 is curved and provided with gear teeth thereby forming the gear segments 32, the teeth whereof' mesh with the teeth of racks 33. The racks 33, as best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, are set in and ixedly incorporated with the cylinder 26. rlFhe levers 30 are operatively connected with the links 29 by wrist pins 34. 'llhus it will be seen that movement imparted to either of the platens 11 or 12 is correspondingly transpose of supplying water to the c linder 26 1s an auxillary supply pipe 37. he flow o1z water from the pipes and 37 to the bore 36 is controlled by a valve 38 of conventional form and construction. To seal the joint ben tween the cylinder 26 and the plunger 25 I provide a iiexible washer 39 of conventional form. The face lates of the platens 11 and 12, as shown in t e drawings, are ribbed, the

, grooves formed therebetween being provided to receive the bale straps which are' tied on the bale after being compressed.

Operation-When operating a com ress constructed and arranged as above described, and as shown in the accompanying drawings, the operation is as follows: It will be understood that-.the compress is employed to further compress or pack a bale of cotton or other material which has been packed by means of another compress, into a bale..

i These bales are disposed on the platen 12 when the platen 11 is lifted to the position .f shown best in Fi. i of the drawings. It

- press to its maximum degree.

will be understoo that the cylinder 9 is of suilicient length to adord the necessary movement for the piston 13 to o en the comhe strips or tying members having been disposed in the grooves between the ribs on the face plates of the platens, the valve 17 is operated to admit steam or other fluid from the pipe 16 i through the branch 18 tothe cylinder 9 at l,the upper side of the piston 13. As above the platen 12. The two platens press upon the interposed bale, to the maximum power and expansive fluid movement. The attendant now having ascertained that he has obtained the full compression inherent in the fluid medium delivered by the pipe 16, ma-

nipulates the valve 38 to admit the hydraulic pressure delivered by the pipe 35. During the period when the motlve power was sup lied by the uid in the cylinder 9, the

sal valve 38 has been turned to close the 37 is connected with any convenient supp of water,

- sponse to the pressure applied on thepiston pipe35, while opening the pipe 37. The pipe from a source elevated above thye cylinder 26 suiiciently to respond rapidly to t e movement of the said cylmder and to fill in the space between it and the plunger25 during the rise lof the said cylinder in re- 13. 1n this manner the lost movement of the 4platen 12 is avoided. When, now, the valve 38 is turned to admit the high pressure water from the pipe 35, the low pref*- sure water in the pipe 37 is cut out 'libe high pressure water is thus provided with. a 'full head or ram from the instant of its being called into play. After the high pressure water is introduced to the cylinder 26 the compression of course is initially directed upon the platen 12, which is gradually elevated to the full compression of the machine. During this portion of the action, the levers 30 are rocked upon the pins 31 to draw the platen 11 to its lowered position, as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In said figure it will be observed that as the final and greatest pressure is applied to the bale by the hydraulic ram, the levers 30 are rocked to a position where they exert a pressure as of a toggle lever, on the links 29 and platen 11 connected therewith, thereby mechanically augmenting or multiplying the pressure imparted to the bale.

Claims:

1. A. cotton compress comprising a plurality oi" movable, alined platens; a stecmactuated prime mover operatively connected with one of said platens; a hydraulically actuated prime mover operatively connected with the other of said platens; and operating connections between said platens for moving the same in unison, said connections embodying short rocking levers operatively engaging the platen connected with the hydraulically-actuated prime mover.

' 2. A cotton compress comprising a plurality of movable, alined platens; a steamactuated prime mover operatively connected with one of said platens; a hydraulicallyactuated prime mover operatively connected with the other of said platens; and operating connections between said platens for moving the same in unison, said connections embodying short rocking levers operatively engaging the platen connected with the hydraulically-actuated prime mover, and a plurality of connecting links operatively engaging the platen connected with the steam-actuated prime mover.

3. A cotton compress comprising a plurality of movable, alined platens; a steamactuated prime mover operatively connected with one of said platens; a hydraulicallyactuated prime mover operatively connected with the other of said platens; a plurality of gear-toothed racks lixedly mounted on the platen connected with the hydraulicallyactuated prime mover; a plurality of short rocking levers, each provided with a gear toothed segment engaging said racks; and means operatively connecting the opposite ends of said rocking levers for moving the platen connected with the steam-actuated prime mover toward the pivots of said levers.

4. A cotton compress comprising a plurality of operative y-connected platens arllt) ranged to move toward each other; and connecting mechanism embodying a plurality of rocking levers directly connected with one of said platens to be moved thereby, and links connecting the free ends of said levers, said links being arranged to swing below the pivots of said levers and toward planes intersecting the centers of the pivots of said levers and the connection of said links with said opposite platen.

A cotton compress comprising a plurality of platens alined and movable toward eachwother; VVVa connecting mechanism` between said platens for moving the same in unlson; a steam-actuated prime mover d1- rectly connected with one of sald platens for operating the same; a hydraulically-l actuated prime mover operatively connected with the other ofsaid platens to move the same; a free water supply for said hydraulically-actuated prime mover for following up said platen to replace the'same in said hydraulically-actuated prime mover; a hydraulic power supply operatively connected with said hydraulically-actuated prime mover; and means for discontinuing said free water vsupply when inaugurating said power water supply.

6. A cotton compress comprising a p1u rality of platens alined and movable toward each other; a connecting mechanism be" tween said platens for moving the same in unison; a steam-actuated prime mover operatively connected with one of said platens for operating the same; a hydraulicallyactuated prime mover operatively connected with the other of said platens to move the same; a free water supply for said hydraulically-actuated prime mover for following up said platen toreplace the same in said hydraulically-actuated prime mover; a hydraulic power supply operatively connected with said hydraulically-actuated prime mover; and means for discontinuing said free water supply when inaugurating said power water supply, said means embodying a valve adapted for inaugurating the one water supply While discontinuing the other water supply.

lIn testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VVlLLIAM HULL. Witnesses R. M. HETHERWICK,

A. V. HUNDLEY.

asv 

